Of Dinglehoppers
by BlahBabe
Summary: Secrets cloak her mother's past and Melody is determined to get the truth when the secrecy begins to affect her life. **Mom collects forks, wrote Melody.**
1. Age Sixteen

Dear Journal,

I've never realized just how much I still don't know about my parents' past until now.

Even with the castle wall coming down and the ocean at my fingertips, there are things that Mom and Dad won't tell me. 

All I was told was that Mom used to be a mermaid until she met Dad. No one told me when she became human. Or how. I don't even know why (though I suppose Dad has something to do with that.) But the secrecy is affecting me. Grandpa won't let me anywhere in the water by myself. At first I thought I was being paranoid, but I know I'm not. Someone is always with me; I've caught Sebastian trailing me multiple times.

Grandpa won't tell me why.

And that's what led me to my first conclusion: Whatever happened with my mom, it happened when I was her age.

How do I know?

Because Grandpa started acting strange when we got into an argument and I told him I was turning sixteen and that I'm not a child.

So from now on I'm keeping an official record of everything I'm finding out.

_1. Something happened when Mom was sixteen._

Sincerely_, Melody_


	2. Forks

Dear Journal,

I've been thinking about things in the past that have seemed odd.

When I was eight, I passed my mom's room and saw her combing her hair with a fork.

_A fork._

Then, when I was ten, I found a drawer of forks in my parents' room. There were twelve of them, in a neat row. They looked like they were lovingly placed.

The ones on the far left were simple looking forks: Iron, steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, and copper. The farther right they got, the more impressive and elaborate they were. There was one made of silver, one of gold. There was delicate porcelain fork, and one made entirely of glass. A diamond crystal fork positively gleamed next to the one made of jade. They were all gorgeous and I was about to lift the one made of jade when my mom caught me.

I didn't get in trouble. She just sat me down and told me that every year for their anniversary Dad got her one. When I asked her why, she just smiled and told me it was to entice her away from of the one she used.

I was always confused about that. It's just another thing that never made sense.

She asked me not to ever touch them, but that I was free to look anytime.

When I was leaving the room, I remember her picking up a fork that had been lying on the dresser. I hadn't even noticed it because it was old looking, almost rusty and it was missing a prong.

She combed her hair with it.

_1. Something happened when Mom was sixteen._

_2. Mom collects forks._

Sincerely_, Melody_


	3. Glowerhaven

Dear Journal,

Dad almost died during breakfast…twice.

The first time was my fault. The night before I concocted a plan to confirm my suspicions and the plan went into action that morning.

"Carlotta mentioned that I should be looking for a husband," I said, taking a bite of bacon.

(Carlotta said no such thing).

Dad started choking on the crêpes (which Chef Louis said were made exclusively for the palace, but he says that about everything he makes) and it wasn't until he returned to his normal color from the bright red that Mom stopped worrying and looked at me.

"Why is that?"

"Well, I'll be turning sixteen in two weeks time. You were sixteen when you met Dad, right?"

They both looked at each other in surprise.

"Yes…" Mom replied hesitantly.

"And you married him right away, so that's why."

"How do you know that we married right away?" Dad inquired.

"Because of the forks."

Mom furrowed her brow and gestured for me to go on.

"Well Dad gets you a fork on your anniversary every year. You said it's been going on since you got married. And you have eighteen forks. That means eighteen years ago you were sixteen."

"I don't care when we were married, young lady. You're not looking for a husband." Dad said sternly, before taking another bite of the crêpe.

Dad missed the sly look Mom gave him before she said nonchalantly, "Perhaps the Princess of Glowerhaven has a son."

He started choking again.

_ happened when Mom was sixteen. (Tentatively confirmed)_

_ collects forks._

_ has a past with the Princess of Glowerhaven. (?)_

Sincerely_, Melody_


End file.
